This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 383 Even novels wouldn't dare write it like this
Two sounds of swallowing saliva could be heard from inside the room.

One is Xiao Lingyue, and the other comes from the wardrobe.

Cheng Yuling had just turned her head away when Xiao Lingyue turned it back: "Senior Sister Cheng, business is important. Don't look around. Explain what happened clearly."

"Family matters are also very important."

Cheng Yuling was relentless; even if the sky fell, she would drag the person out of the closet.

Xiao Lingyue naturally refused to comply. Relying on her superior cultivation, which was two major realms higher than Cheng Yuling's, she pinned Cheng Yuling to the spot, rendering her unable to move.

The two stared at each other, and Cheng Yuling immediately switched to the mannerisms of the Prince Zhao's residence, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Tell me, you little girl, are you having an affair behind my son-in-law's back?"

"What are you saying!" Xiao Lingyue was furious, her face turning red with anger.

"I see, Junior Sister Xiao, you're seducing my son-in-law!"

"..."

The difference in skill was immediately apparent; Cheng Yuling's unpredictable tactics made Xiao Lingyue no match for her.

Just then, the wardrobe door creaked open, startling both women who looked over at the same time.

Inside the wardrobe, Xiang Yuan was putting on her shoes, her hair disheveled and her clothes somewhat messy.

Xiao Lingyue stomped her feet, annoyed that Xiang Yuan was shameless. It would have been so much better if he had just teleported away instead of revealing the truth in front of the elders.

Cheng Yuling had an "I knew it" look on her face. Caught red-handed, she displayed the full authority of a mother, staring intently at Xiao Lingyue with a righteous gaze that made the latter dare not look directly at her.

At this moment, the advantage of being two realms apart is utterly useless; Cheng Yuling is the true spiritual giant.

Xiang Yuan put on her shoes and socks, calmly tidied her clothes, got up and closed the wardrobe door. She quickly walked up to Cheng Yuling and asked in surprise, "Senior Sister Cheng, you just said that the emperor died and his whole family died. What exactly happened?"

Call me Mother!

"Okay, Senior Sister Cheng."

"Call me..."

Cheng Yuling insisted on her opinion, only realizing her mistake halfway through her sentence, and said irritably, "You brat, don't try that with your mother. Your father has used this trick countless times."

Cheng Yuling had reached the maximum level in the backyard of Prince Zhao's mansion, accumulating a wealth of experience. Her attention-shifting technique was easily seen through.

Senior Sister Cheng is fine, the title doesn't matter. Let's get this straight today. How did you bully Junior Sister Xiao just now?

Xiang Yuan remained calm and shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Senior Sister Cheng, please don't misunderstand. I was out arranging a fight a couple of days ago and got injured. I came to Wushuang Palace to ask Lingyue for help. She used up a lot of energy to save me, so she took a short rest, and then..."

"Then I came, but Lingyue is shy, so you hid in the closet."

Cheng Yuling picked up the conversation, counting on her fingers, "You had an external injury on your back, which you couldn't reach, so you took off your clothes so Lingyue could apply the medicine. Her clothes were stained with blood, so she took off her clothes too. It was all a misunderstanding; nothing else happened, right?"

"..." x2
You've said everything, what else can I say? x2
Cheng Yuling was far more experienced than Xiao Lingyue, who was no match for her. Xiang Yuan could still argue, but there was no need to waste time. So he put his arm around Xiao Lingyue's shoulder and said in front of Cheng Yuling, "Since Mother has already seen through it, I will not hide it anymore. Lingyue and I have been engaged for a long time. We haven't seen each other for a long time, so we decided to have a child to solidify our relationship."

Suddenly, Xiao Lingyue blushed deeply.

Cheng Yuling's eyes lit up as she looked at Xiao Lingyue with satisfaction. She knew when to strike and was indeed her daughter, just like her.

She wanted to delve deeper into the topic, such as when the two of you started dating and how long you'd been keeping it a secret. But seeing that Xiao Lingyue was already getting angry, she suppressed her desire to gossip and, preparing to avoid Xiang Yuan, interrogated the convict Xiao Lingyue alone. Adopting the stern demeanor of a mother, she reprimanded the two young people.

"Xiang Yuan, even if you and Ling Yue are engaged, she is still an unmarried girl. If others find out, will Ling Yue's reputation be ruined?"

Blah blah blah, waibi waibi.

According to the relationship with Wushuang Palace, Cheng Yuling, with her innate cultivation level, had the two grandmasters completely under her control. To outsiders, she could be said to have spanned two major realms, defeating the two grandmasters without any chance of fighting back. She couldn't have been more pleased with herself.

Given her connection to the Prince Zhao's residence, she has even more authority to speak, and whether out of responsibility or obligation, she must say a few words today.

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After speaking for a full incense stick's time, Cheng Yuling finally finished, satisfied, and said in a high-pitched voice, "Considering this is your first offense... wait, are you two first offenses?"

Just as they were finishing up, the melody picked up again.

"Senior Sister Cheng!"

Xiao Lingyue lowered her head, her ear tips burning red, and she clenched her teeth, uttering words through clenched teeth.

That's enough. If you say anything more, don't blame your junior sister for turning ruthless today and dragging you to the training ground to spar with her swords!

Seeing that Xiao Lingyue was already furious, Cheng Yuling had no choice but to shut up, muttering, "Fine, don't say it then. What's so great about it? When we get back to the Prince Zhao's mansion, there will be no senior sister or junior sister, only mother and daughter. Let's see how I deal with you then."

Xiao Lingyue didn't care about the situation after returning to Prince Zhao's residence; she would leave the rest to her to handle.

Xiang Yuan endured a scolding that lasted for the duration of an incense stick's burning. Seeing Xiao Lingyue's shy and angry demeanor, he felt it was worth the price of admission. Therefore, he was not angry at all and instead asked with a serious expression, "Senior Sister Cheng, with the emperor's death, all those in the imperial clan who were destined to inherit the throne have perished. What exactly happened?"

"How would I know? I just heard it from someone else."

"..." x2
Xiang Yuan's face darkened. He patted Xiao Lingyue's shoulder, and the latter immediately glared at Cheng Yuling.

"ungrateful wretch..."

Cheng Yuling sighed, thinking that Xiao Lingyue was quite adept at turning her back on others. She took out the letter from the Prince Zhao's residence and placed it in Xiao Lingyue's hand.

Xiao Lingyue hurriedly opened the letter and read it. There were only a few words, just a few lines, but they were all the key points that would be tested.

Peeking into the distance, I noticed the slightly messy handwriting on the letter.

The old emperor of the capital had not attended court for several days, and the princes had not appeared either. At first, this did not arouse suspicion. The royal family also had cultivation, and the good thing of prolonging life and maintaining youth was something that ordinary people would flock to, let alone the royal family members who held great power.

It wasn't until rumors suddenly spread throughout the capital that the Xiao family urgently stepped forward to refute them, and everyone realized that the emperor had died, the princes had perished, and even members of the Xiao family who were eligible to inherit the throne had died tragically overnight.

The rumors spread like wildfire, reaching every major city in Western Chu within just a few days.

Another version has emerged: a family cannot be without a head for a day, and a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Although the imperial family members have passed away and there is no one to inherit the throne, the Xiao family has continued to this day and is thriving. There are also outstanding talents in the collateral branches who can enter the capital and compete for the divine artifact.

A list has been leaked from an unknown source in the capital, whose name is not to be revealed. The list contains the names of several princes who may become emperor, including Prince Zhao, Xiao Yan, who is in charge of the Guanshan Road Grand General and controls the troops and provisions of eight provinces.

Cheng Yuling was referring to this point when she said Xiao Yan was in good condition.

Rumors are updated and changed very quickly. The latest rumor is that among these princes, Xiao Yan has the strongest army, dominates eight states, has countless grain supplies, and is the farthest from the capital. If he cannot take control of the capital, he can establish himself as an independent ruler by controlling the eight states.

Because of this rumor, Xiao Yan, though having the upper hand, was also at a significant disadvantage.

Xiang Yuan: (_)
A father who spends all his time surrounded by women and is supported by his son has one day actually become qualified to call himself emperor!

The plot is not only outrageous, but also illogical; even novels wouldn't dare to write it like this.

"..." x2
Xiao Lingyue stared at the letter with disbelief. After a long while, she looked at Cheng Yuling with suspicion.

Cheng Yuling nodded emphatically: "It was indeed a letter from the Prince Zhao's residence. It's all over the place. Whenever you... oh, you're both busy. You haven't left the house for days."

Xiao Lingyue ignored her and looked at Xiang Yuan, asking him what to do.

Xiang Yuan said sourly, "My father-in-law's success today is entirely due to his hard work and perseverance. God helps those who help themselves, and perseverance is the mother of good fortune. This is not good luck, but what he deserves."

After finishing his rant, his expression turned grave: "Too many members of the royal family died overnight. Not a single one qualified to inherit the throne survived. The problem is very serious. I need to go to the capital to find out what happened."

Xiao Lingyue nodded. Rumors were flying, and Xiao Yan was now on the verge of death, his life in imminent danger. She would immediately return to Zhen Dian Prefecture to protect him.

After discussing their plan, the two went their separate ways.

Xiao Lingyue went to Bai Wuyan to explain her family situation and that she would not be cultivating at Wushuang Palace in the near future.

Cheng Yuling naturally accompanied her; with such a huge mess at home, she definitely had to go back.

Seeing Xiang Yuan teleport away, ignoring the mountain-protecting array and leaving without a word, Cheng Yuling stared wide-eyed: "Junior Sister Xiao, what's wrong with your young man? Why is our Wushuang Palace's mountain-protecting array..."

Why are you asking me? Go ask your palace master!
Xiao Lingyue interrupted directly, unwilling to reveal the truth and plunge her mother into questioning life. She said irritably, "What business is it of yours, a mere Innate Stage cultivator, with matters concerning Grandmasters? Do you even understand what I'm saying?"

"..."

Junior sister, you wait. Once we return to Prince Zhao's residence, I'll make you kneel before Mother.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Western Chu, the capital of the divine city.

Just as Xiao Lingyue thought, it's just the death of an emperor. Out with the old, in with the new. It's not a big deal. The people of the capital should eat and drink as usual, keep their mouths shut, and not talk nonsense in public. They should continue to live their lives as before.

As always, the capital city is filled with scenic spots and historical sites every few steps, steeped in history and bustling with prosperity.

Rumors, however, are as fierce as tigers, spreading like wildfire. And as it turns out, they weren't just rumors; all the members of the imperial family destined for the throne were dead. Beset by internal and external troubles, with restless forces on all sides, a storm was brewing, dark clouds loomed over the city, threatening to crush it. Beneath the prosperous and bustling exterior of the capital, a deathly silence and oppression lingered. Xiang Yuan teleported to the capital, heading straight for the Ba Shang Tower. On the way, he grabbed a passerby, innocently asking, "I heard the emperor is dead, is it true?"

Holy crap, haha!

In the blink of an eye, the birds and beasts scattered in the distance, and the nearest shops immediately closed their doors and hung up signs announcing that they were closed for the day.

"Not bad, they brought it under control so quickly... it's just a little late."

Xiang Yuan shrugged, and a wisp of energy spread out, merging with the surrounding laws of heaven and earth, repeatedly leaping across the Divine Capital Array.

The effect was outstanding. As soon as Xiang Yuan arrived at the entrance of Ba Shang Lou, he saw Xiao Feng with the face of a dead emperor.

"Brother, why are you here?"

Xiao Feng stepped forward, a smile plastered on his face. He looked around cautiously and asked, "Brother, are you here on behalf of the Prince Zhao's residence?"

"Don't be suspicious. I've come for the sake of the people, not to seize power from the Prince Zhao's mansion."

The thought that Xiao Yan was qualified to be emperor made Xiang Yuan feel uncomfortable all over. He was very unhappy and did not want to continue on this unpleasant topic. He bluntly said, "It's all over the place. Such a large-scale rumor is as if people were actually there. Moreover, so many members of the imperial family died overnight, and they were all pure-blooded and qualified to inherit the throne. Ordinary forces could not do that. Let's get straight to the point. You should know who the real culprit is, right?"

Xiao Feng nodded with a bitter face. Although he didn't know who the real culprit was, he was certain that it was closely related to the Dragon-Locking Evil Array beneath the capital.

It's obvious without even thinking that the two things were done by the same group of people.

"I told you all long ago to quickly arrange a dinner with the Li family of Shangyuan and the Liu family of Tai'an to discuss this together, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what's happened, the old emperor has been overthrown." Xiang Yuan sneered. These dozens of lives were entirely Xiao's own doing.

What the Xiao family of Shendu thought was none of Xiang Yuan's business, nor did he care. The key point was that a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The emperor of the cultivation world may seem dispensable, but it really can't function without him.

Especially with the behind-the-scenes manipulators turning the entire Western Chu into a powder keg, once Western Chu falls into internal strife, the Northern Qi and Southern Jin will inevitably take action, leading to a major war between the three kingdoms and subsequent chaos throughout the land.

It's not easy for ordinary people to live a simple life!
Xiao Feng lowered his head to accept the scolding and sighed, "Brother, it's not that I spoke out of turn, but the considerations between countries are too many. Sometimes, even if you know that killing eight hundred enemies will result in losing a thousand of your own, you still have to grit your teeth and charge forward. Assessing the situation is not so easy."

"Yes, and then the emperor was murdered."

"..."

Xiao Feng was speechless.

Xiang Yuan continued, "What were the autopsy results? So many people died overnight, the killer's methods must have been very bizarre, right?"

In the capital, right under the nose of the Xiao Clan Grandmaster, not only did the old emperor, princes, and grandsons of the emperor die in the palace, but also a large number of pure-blooded members of the imperial family. Such sophisticated and efficient assassination methods are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

At least in Xiang Yuan's imagination, the murderer did not assassinate him directly, nor could it have been poisoning.

Xiang Yuan's question hit the nail on the head. A deep sense of apprehension, and even a hint of fear, flashed in Xiao Feng's eyes: "Many members of the Xiao family, including His Majesty, had their primordial spirits leave their bodies overnight, leaving only empty shells of flesh and blood."

"Your primordial spirit has been taken away?" Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow.

What kind of method is this? Is it a curse or a sacrifice, or perhaps a magical artifact called the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls, no, the Banner of the Human Emperor?

“It could be that the primordial spirit has left the body, or it could be… that the primordial spirit has already perished,” Xiao Feng said dryly.

"Is the body still there?"

"Brother, we can't call it a corpse yet. The body is intact and there's a possibility it could come back to life," Xiao Feng said, dissatisfied.

"Enough with the nonsense, take me there to have a look."

"..." x2
"Can not watch?"

“In principle, it’s not possible. After all, you don’t have the surname Xiao, and even if you are the son-in-law of the Xiao family, you are still part of the Zhao Prince’s family. You should avoid suspicion.” Xiao Feng said with difficulty.

"Then I'll go?"

Xiang Yuan sneered twice: "I'll go back to the Prince Zhao's residence and use my connections to bring in dozens of grandmasters to oversee things. The throne in this capital is just sitting empty anyway. My father-in-law has the makings of a true dragon, so why not let him sit on it for a while?"

"What are you saying, brother!"

Xiao Feng was furious, pounding his chest loudly: "Such heartless words belittle the brotherhood between us. Brother, this way, let's see who dares to stop you today."

"Why didn't you just do this earlier? Why did you have to force me to make you kneel down!"

"..."

I have no choice but to force him. Without your threats, Xiao would have voluntarily sided with Prince Zhao's mansion, and his stance would have been skewed.

Xiao Feng was a shrewd and quick-witted man. Reluctantly, he led Xiang Yuan through the Divine Capital Array to a temporary palace located on the outskirts of the imperial city. After entering the teleportation array again and wandering around, they arrived at a chilling underground ice palace.

The Ice Palace is hidden deep underground, with numerous restrictions and guards every three steps and sentries every five steps. From the outermost Innate Stage soldiers to the middle Nascent Soul Stage guards, and then to the sword-wielding grandmasters guarding the gate, the entire power of the Xiao Clan of the Divine Capital has been mobilized.

The sword master was Xiao Ling, who carried the Tai'a sword and guarded this place. When he saw Xiao Feng leading Xiang Yuan, his expression immediately changed.

Xiao Ling: You crazy Xiao, how did you manage to attract him here?
Xiao Feng: Come on, come on, try to reason with him!
Xiao Ling is utterly unreasonable. He's not crazy. He's obsequious to Xiang Yuan but strikes hard against Xiao Feng. Regardless of the consequences, he disregards his own relationship with Xiao Feng and shifts all the blame onto him.

Having witnessed Xiang Yuan's abilities, Xiao Ling knew he couldn't stop him, so he had several Nascent Soul stage cultivators stand guard in his place. He and Xiao Feng stood on either side of Xiang Yuan, pushed open the Ice Palace door, and the three of them entered the main hall together.

The hall was spacious, with bright lights illuminating the four ice walls, reflecting a dazzling brilliance. In addition, an array spread out vitality, like misty natural treasures, blending into the air.

Hundreds of cold jade beds were placed in the main hall, with fresh 'corpses' lying quietly, breathing evenly, their complexions no different from ordinary people, their life functions maintained by atomized nutrient solution to ensure that their physical bodies did not perish.

But that was all; everyone fell into a deep sleep and never woke up again.

Xiang Yuan glanced at the crowd and realized that the rumors outside only said a few dozen people had died, but the actual number was over a hundred. It was a complete wipeout, ensuring that the Xiao clan would not be able to find a suitable successor in the short term.

"If you're a thief all day long, how can you guard against thieves all day long? A thief can lose a hundred times, but if the Xiao family loses once, they lose everything."

Xiang Yuan sighed and asked which one was His Majesty in person. Seeing that no one stood up to answer, he turned to look at Xiao Feng.

Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not acquainted with the emperor!
Xiao Feng complained inwardly that the Ice Palace was guarded by Xiao Ling, and his true brother should be asking Xiao Ling questions instead of making him take the blame for everything.

“Brother, Xiao Feng said that that person is His Majesty.” Seeing that Xiao Feng remained silent, Xiao Ling kindly spoke up for him.

Xiang Yuan nodded and stepped forward, passing through a series of 'freezers'. In the middle, on a cold jade bed, he saw a middle-aged man dressed in a golden robe.

Judging by his appearance alone, he is over forty years old and has perfectly inherited the genes of the Xiao family's outstanding talents. He has regular features and a dignified appearance. Even if he were to fall asleep and never wake up, he would still retain the noble demeanor of an emperor.

He was just an ordinary person, far inferior to Liu Che.

Xiang Yuan frowned slightly, dispersed his primordial spirit, and found that the body in front of him was indeed empty. It could be said that his primordial spirit had left his body, or that it had perished. The possibility that his primordial spirit had returned to its place and awakened could not be ruled out.

From this perspective, it wasn't wrong for the Xiao family of Shendu to suppress the news at first. The emperor couldn't die easily, otherwise even if he survived, he would still be dead.

“Brother, Xiao Ling said that our Xiao family in the capital has a secret technique called Soul-Locking Lamp. Important members of the royal family, including us grandmasters, all have a star lamp, which can be used to command fate and summon souls.”

Under Xiao Ling's angry gaze, Xiao Feng slammed his hand down and said, "All the star lamps in the room have been extinguished, so we can neither command nor summon souls."

Simply put, some people are still alive, but they are already dead.

Xiang Yuan remained silent for a long time before finally asking, "What is Your Majesty's cultivation level?"

"The stage of transformation."

Xiao Feng understood Xiang Yuan's meaning and said in a deep voice, "Several princes also have the cultivation of the Nascent Soul stage. Although they did not study and practice diligently, their realm is undoubtedly high. To have their souls scattered overnight, such methods are no ordinary mortal techniques."

After saying that, he added, "No grandmasters have died an unnatural death so far."

Xiang Yuan shook his head slightly. The Nascent Soul stage can disappear in an instant, without anyone noticing.

In this way, no matter who the next emperor is, he will be risking his life, living in constant fear, and could never wake up again.

Xiang Yuan remembered clearly that Xiao Yan's cultivation level was at the Innate stage, not even at the Nascent Soul stage.

"Can His Majesty be saved?"

"..." x2
"What did the Xiao clan say? Which unlucky fellow is likely to ascend the throne?"

"We haven't figured it out yet. At this point, no matter who becomes the new emperor, all candidates are in danger of losing their lives," Xiao Feng said, shaking his head.

The chair beneath my buttocks was large, but also very hot; there was a real possibility that I would die the same day I sat on it.

"Any clues to find the real culprit?"

"I have an immature idea."

(End of this chapter)